Too many Americans have forgotten, or never knew, that a marriage license is issued and authenticated by state governments and NOT by any religious denomination.
No religious ceremony is required by any state law. A marriage ceremony conducted by the appropriate civil official, as specified in the state law, is just as valid as ANY religious ceremony. Religious representatives are empowered first by the law, NOT the other way round.
Had Americans not been duped by religious propaganda all their lives, had we not become logically obese with religious candy all these generations, gay Americans could have been on par with Spain, Canada, Belgium, and Holland.
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that all citizens are to receive the same protection from the laws, no ifs, ands, or buts!
------------ -
Amendment XIV - Citizenship rights. Ratified 7/9/1868.
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
------------ --
Regardless of social, educational, or governmental position, only people blinded by the flames of prejudice and smoke of ignorance can fail to see the simplicity of the language quoted above.
This 14th Amendment is the new argument that I feel should be brought forward by our equality leaders and grassroots folk to show our seriousness about living lives as full American citizens.
How many more insults must we gay people accept, legally and socially, physically and spiritually? We must show our oppressors that we are not their toys.
Maybe Congress in Washington won't swing our way anytime soon, but we can influence our city, county, and state official, especially this election year. The late Massachusetts Representative, Tip O'Neil, would say, "All politics is local."
Find a candidate that is gay, gay-friendly, or at the least, willing to listen about gay/lesbian concerns. Even if you don't live in their district you can work for them and donate money. All campaign offices need volunteer help that money can't buy: I know because I've been there, done that.
Be sure and let them know who you are and why you're in their campaign!
I live in the second reddest state in the union, Oklahoma. On July 25, we elected Al McAffrey, an openly gay man to the Legislature for House District 88. Oklahoma had three openly gay candidates on the primary ballot and one is still a viable candidate for the November general election.
I can plead, rant, and demand, but can anyone alive or dead match the succinctness of Dr. M. L. King when he said: "We shall overcome because the arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
30-30
James Nimmo, active in progressive issues, is treasurer of Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats and moderator of its website at www.okstonewall.org.
The author thanks Mr. Bob Nichols for his contribution to the form of this essay.
Mr. Nichols, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Bay View (http://www.sfbayview.com), is also a Project Censored Award Winner for his articles concerning depleted uranium.
Copyright 2006 by James Nimmo, all rights reserved. Permission is given for reproduction in any human-readable format provided the content and attribution
remain unaltered.
30-30
No religious ceremony is required by any state law. A marriage ceremony conducted by the appropriate civil official, as specified in the state law, is just as valid as ANY religious ceremony. Religious representatives are empowered first by the law, NOT the other way round.
Had Americans not been duped by religious propaganda all their lives, had we not become logically obese with religious candy all these generations, gay Americans could have been on par with Spain, Canada, Belgium, and Holland.
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that all citizens are to receive the same protection from the laws, no ifs, ands, or buts!
------------ -
Amendment XIV - Citizenship rights. Ratified 7/9/1868.
------------ --
Regardless of social, educational, or governmental position, only people blinded by the flames of prejudice and smoke of ignorance can fail to see the simplicity of the language quoted above.
This 14th Amendment is the new argument that I feel should be brought forward by our equality leaders and grassroots folk to show our seriousness about living lives as full American citizens.
How many more insults must we gay people accept, legally and socially, physically and spiritually? We must show our oppressors that we are not their toys.
Maybe Congress in Washington won't swing our way anytime soon, but we can influence our city, county, and state official, especially this election year. The late Massachusetts Representative, Tip O'Neil, would say, "All politics is local."
Find a candidate that is gay, gay-friendly, or at the least, willing to listen about gay/lesbian concerns. Even if you don't live in their district you can work for them and donate money. All campaign offices need volunteer help that money can't buy: I know because I've been there, done that.
Be sure and let them know who you are and why you're in their campaign!
I live in the second reddest state in the union, Oklahoma. On July 25, we elected Al McAffrey, an openly gay man to the Legislature for House District 88. Oklahoma had three openly gay candidates on the primary ballot and one is still a viable candidate for the November general election.
I can plead, rant, and demand, but can anyone alive or dead match the succinctness of Dr. M. L. King when he said: "We shall overcome because the arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
30-30
James Nimmo, active in progressive issues, is treasurer of Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats and moderator of its website at www.okstonewall.org.
The author thanks Mr. Bob Nichols for his contribution to the form of this essay.
Mr. Nichols, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Bay View (http://www.sfbayview.com), is also a Project Censored Award Winner for his articles concerning depleted uranium.
Copyright 2006 by James Nimmo, all rights reserved. Permission is given for reproduction in any human-readable format provided the content and attribution
remain unaltered.
30-30
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